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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Bye Bye Bump...

Carter's surgery was at 8:30am Friday morning at the Pediatric Surgery Center in Plano. We had to be there to check in at 7:30am. We dropped Trenton off at school at 7am, like always, and then we were off. I sat in zoned out silence most of the way there. We got there, checked in, and were given a pager pretty much just like the kind you get at restaurants when they're busy. Round and plastic that lit up and vibrated when it was your turn. We sat in the reception area and waited for our turn.

The reception area was really neat, actually. It was a long semi narrow space and there were private areas for families to wait. It's hard to describe. Kinda like being poolside at a resort. Walking toward the back of the room, to your right and left were basically rooms without doors, each with 2 couches, a table full of it's own magazines and toys. The furtiture was very modern and chic, too. But not... cold feeling. It was well lit and had a warm feel. I was impressed. It was different than anything I've seen at any hospital or doctors office.






Carter was doing REALLY well, considering he hadn't eaten since about 7 o'clock the night before. He really just wanted to lay on the couch next to Mommy and play with his feet.

Our buzzy thing went off after a short bit and we went back to the sugical prep area. More like a hospital back here with the curtain doors, but everything was clean and the walls were painted a really pretty (and calming) lavendar instead of the typical institution green you normally see. Lol, I've been in hospitals MULTIPLE times in my life. I'm very familiar with the normal decor. This was MUCH better. And each room had a run animal windsock on the curtain.
Cute.

The sweet nurse came and gave Carter and I matching haspital bracelets and took his vitals. He silently watched and cooperated like a champ. I was shcoked because I assumed he'd be beside himself with hunger.






Then it was time to wait to speak to the anethesiologist. So we sat. I was semi distracted while we waited by a girl of maybe 9 who was across from us. She was TERRIFIED despite her poor mother's attempts to make her laugh. I kept hearing her sobbing. Poor thing. Poor THINGS. I know it was just as hard on her poor mom to try to comfort her scared daughter. I was immensely relieved that Carter had NO idea what was going on and was just rolling with whatever was happening.

The anethesiologist showed up and we chatted a bit about what was going to happen and what to expect when we took little man home. He was great. He looked me in the eye, answered all my questions, and looked at Carter, too. Some doctors avoid looking at the kids at all. Because they aren't really people. That's my impression of how they feel, anyway. But I was silently reassured when he glanced at my little one multiple times while talking. Seems silly. I don't know.

Now we were just waiting for the Surgical nurse to come get Carter and take him back. This was the hardest time for me. I was distracting myself by trying to remember all the words to Cat in the Hat, lol. We took some pictures and then Carter, bless his little heart, fell asleep on my shoulder.






The surgical nurse showed up with the anethesiologist. I was struggling to make myself hand him to her. I made Scott take on last "before" picture. A stalling tactic, really, as I was starting to panic. My heart started beating so fast, I was pretty sure it was going to wake Carter up.

The last "Before" pic


I handed him over. And then we just... sat. Eventually, our first nurse, the one that took Carter's vitals, came and took us to a "Consult Room" to wait for him. Basically, it's just a tiny rooom with 3 chairs and a phone. But it was a real room. With doors and everything, lol. And we sat. I fought tears by playing on my blackberry and looking at the pictures I'd already taken.

Before I knew it, Dr. Roden (the surgeon) knocked on the door and walked in. He told us he was all done then asked if we wanted to SEE the cyst he removed. Lol, we both did, oddly enough. It seemed MUCH bigger than it did when it was in his head.

Warning.... I'm posting a picture of it.

....


Look away now if you're easily grossed out....


Last chance....




See, that wasn't so bad. But it was freaky for us to see. Ugh. Glad it's gone!!

He gave us our instructions for taking care of him at home and then he was gone and we were left waiting for the nurse to come tell us he was waking up from anethisia. She came about 5 minutes later with Carter on a hospital bed on wheels. The bed was made for a grown up and he looked so small lying on that bed, eyes closed and with the IV tube dangling from a pole. I wanted to cry. Just sob.

We got to the "Recovery Room", and the nurse put him in my lap and we waited for him to wake up. We got a bottle of pedialite ready and waited. While he was lying in my arms, he looked so tiny and frail... it's a good thing he started to wake up and fuss, because I would have cried... no doubt.







He drank 8 ounces of pedialite right away and the nurse took his IV out. He woke up completely and since he took the clear liquids (the pedialite) without any trouble, we were allowed to go!

They gave Carter a Superstar toy for being such a trooper during all his drama. Mommy's Good Little Man!!



We got home and Carter slept until about 1:15pm with me on the couch. We got up and he ate and we started to get ready for my Dad's retirement party. My Dad retired from the Addison Police Department yesterday. After 30 years.

But that'll have to be another post when I get the pictures. :)

5 comments:

Stephanie said...

Yeah....I am so glad everything went smooth for all of you. I am not going to lie....my eyes were filling with tears as I read this post. I know how scary situations like that can be. When Gavin was in the hospital with RSV, I was worried sick. But, you ROCK as a Momma! Congratulations on a sucessful surgery! :) Take care of that little guy!

S. Brook Bell said...

I too was almost in tears!!! I know you are glad it is over....you all were and are in our prayers :) He looks so cute and big in those pics!!! I just want to give him a big hug!!!!

The Barbers said...

OMG almost bawled! That is so freakin' scary, I'm glad I didn't come with you I would have cried for sure. Just made things worse! He looks so darn chubby and cute and I'm sure you are thrilled to have this behind you. WHEW... now I say no more drama with yours OR mine, Tristan is giving me a run for my money with the bloody poops! Ugh! Love you guys!

happy retirement dad!!

Nicole said...

I'm so glad it all went smoothly - it's never easy to go in knowing they need a procedure to be done. So, on a lighter note, do you get to keep the cyst for his scrapbook?? ;)

KRiSTiN said...

LOL! No, the cyst went to the lap, just to be sure it's only that. Don't think I didn't wonder about keeping it in a jar. THAT would be great to bring out to scare his first girlfriend.

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